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Stay connected with Baauer:
23 Profile | Website | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok
What does “The Finish Line” represent to you beyond the literal meaning, and how did that concept shape the emotional tone of the track?
The Finish Line encapsulates a lot of what The Wrens ethos stands for — being present, realising our time in existence is finite. We wanted to shake people awake with the track and say, “hey, we’re here, we’ve got something to say.”
How did your songwriting process evolve while creating this single compared to your earlier work?
This track first took the path of being an instrumental jam with freestyle verses. The song informed the message based on where we were at during the time. We were creating community, finding our feet, and exploring existential questions — feeling like through music we were discovering how to be and how best to make the most from life.
Was the sense of tension and release in the track intentional from a production standpoint, or did it emerge naturally?
I guess all music is exploring the contrast between tension and release. It emerges naturally as we put songs together based on where we feel the song wants to take us.
What sonic influences shaped the record, and how did they inform the final sound?
Being a band with a lot of members, we draw on a pretty wide range of influences. Some that spring immediately to mind are Parcels, The Cat Empire, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Corto.Alto, Rage Against the Machine, and System Of A Down.
What specific moment or experience triggered the creation of “The Finish Line”?
We were in a pre-production session for another track, and the riff came to one of us. The song came from there.
How do you approach balancing vulnerability and restraint in your lyrics?
There’s no restraint — I feel unrestrained in this.
Was there a particular lyric that unlocked the direction of the whole track?
The first lyric, inspired by meditation practice: “Take a moment, come to a cross-legged seat.”
How do you want listeners to feel after hearing this song for the first time?
We want them to feel whatever they feel, but notice that they’re feeling it.
Where does this single sit within your broader artistic trajectory or upcoming releases?
The Finish Line is just the beginning.
If “The Finish Line” is a chapter, what comes next in the story you’re telling as an artist?
There’s no way of knowing, but probably Wombat Road Safety.
SF WRENS ‘THE FINISH LINE’ LAUNCH SHOW
Friday 8 May The Oak TIGHES HILL
Supported by Lonely Mountain Garden Party
FREE SHOW
SF WRENS: Facebook | TikTok | Instagram | YouTube | Triple J Unearthed
You’ve spent your life chasing some of the biggest waves on the planet. When did music first become something serious for you rather than just something you did on the side?
Music became serious for me when I had a bad injury competing in 2023. My music was a way for me to heal in one of the lowest points of my life. My professional and competitive surfing career was said to be over when I sustained that knee injury. So my music career became more than serious, it saved my life.
Catch A Wave feels emotional and personal. Was there a specific moment or memory that sparked the idea for the song?
Catch A Wave was a song written when a fellow surfer of Aaron Bruno’s passed away.
How did the collaboration with Aaron Bruno from AWOLNATION come together, and what was it like working with him in the studio?
The collaboration between Aaron and I started while on tour. My producer and Label partner jimmy messer was a band mate in the original AWOL project, he reached out to Aaron to see about opening up for them on a north america tour. Aaron and I got along well and he was stoked on my story and what we were creating at Villains 4 Good records so he said let’s collaborate on something to put out. I’ve been hangin with Aaron a bunch. He is a good braddah, he loves to surf so we spend most of our time in the water or a wave pool somewhere more than the studio!
You grew up on the North Shore of Oahu, which has such a strong surf culture and community. How much has that environment shaped your music and songwriting?
Growing up on the north shore in that strong surf culture was awesome. It was radical to say the least. It just goes to show in a way when it comes to the sound and lyrics of my music. It’s raw, it’s real and it’s unapologetic just like the north shore! It’s all about the raw energy.
Surfing big waves and performing music are very different worlds. Do you get a similar feeling from being on stage as you do when you’re out in the water?
Yes they are different. The surfing was about ME, who can I be. The music is for us, who can I connect with. There are a lot of people struggling with things in this world just like me and I hope something I do or something in my lyrics can resonate with people so they know they are not alone, we are all in this fight together. Maybe one day I can help change someone’s life, maybe many people, maybe get someone to believe in themselves again and they go on and do that for others. That would be a successful career for me this time around not the titles or trophies.
You’ve been open about going through some difficult periods earlier in your life. Did music become a way for you to work through those experiences?
Yes music was the thing that gave me hope when I needed it most. I was seriously one foot in the grave. I had to get the pain, the addiction, the self induced suffering out somehow and music gave me the platform to be truthful to myself and the opportunity to tell the real story. It was either writing and getting it out or hide it and die.
When you’re writing a song, do you usually start with lyrics, a melody, or just a feeling you want to capture?
I really write songs from all over the place. But one thing is for sure it’s got to bring the ENERGY!
You’re heading to Australia for Sessions Surf Festival. What has your relationship with Australia been like over the years?
Australia is home away from home for me, it’s like a family. I have so many great memories, good and bad:) haha……. Depends who you ask. Nah but really it is like a second home for me over there. Australians are some of the most solid incredible people I’ve ever known.
With a new album on the way, how would you describe the direction your music is heading now?
ENERGY, for me it’s less about what you hear and more about the Feeling! It’s punk, it’s rock, it’s just me.
When you look at everything so far — surfing, music, life — what keeps you motivated to keep pushing forward?
Honestly ill tell it to you like this, Fuck motivation i dont need it. I’m just dedicated to LIFE, I just wanna Live……..
MG Live and Frontier Touring are thrilled to announce Australian indie-rock stalwarts The Temper Trap will embark on their highly anticipated national tour across September-October 2026.
Having just announced their new album Sungazer – dropping 10 July – the tour celebrates the band’s first full-length project in ten years, as they return with an explosive, anthemic sound and more confident than ever before.
The Temper Trap will kick off the tour at Forum Melbourne on Friday 11 September before heading to Brisbane for a set at Night At The Parkland on Saturday 12 September. The band head to Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide on Wednesday 16 September before a performance at Night At The Barracks, Sydney on Friday 18 September and rounding out with a final show at ICF:Warehouse, Perth on Friday 9 October.
Frontier Members can access their presale on Thursday 16 April from 10am local time, before tickets go on sale from 11am local time on Friday 17 April. Tickets and tour information via frontiertouring.com/thetempertrap.
Watch: The Temper Trap – Sungazer
A special release in the band’s career, Sungazer reflects nearly two decades of evolution, blending The Temper Trap’s signature sound with fresh experimentation. Tracks like ‘Lucky Dimes’ and ‘Giving Up Air’ showcase a shift toward electronic textures and dancefloor energy, while title track ‘Into the Wild’ balances introspection with powerful crescendos. The album veers from yearning intimacy to full-throttle catharsis, from guitar-riffing indie tunes to heavy electronica, all anchored in Dougy’s expansive, instantly recognisable voice.
The Temper Trap will hit the road in 2026 in a monumental way, having last toured their home country in 2025 with a series of intimate East Coast headline shows. Recently announced to support UK rockers Muse on their North American tour, as well as a definitive return to US shores alongside festival sets at Outside Lands (San Francisco) and Summerfest (Milwaukee) sharing the stage with the likes of The Strokes, Rüfüs Du Sol and Charli XCX, the band will share Sungazer with fans across the globe and close to home for the very first time.
Watch: The Temper Trap – Sweet Disposition
Rising to global attention with their 2008 UK Top Ten debut single ‘Sweet Disposition’, the Melbourne locals quickly built an international following through their soaring vocals, reverb-heavy guitars, and anthemic choruses. Drawing from their debut album Conditions (2009) , the album achieved multi-platinum success in Australia and gold status in the UK, followed by The Temper Trap (2012) and Thick As Thieves (2016). One of the most sought-after bands to come out of Australia, they’ve accumulated billions of streams, won multiple ARIA Awards, and gained recognition from major global stages and tastemakers, with ‘Sweet Disposition’ cementing itself firmly in Australian music history.
Now, nearly twenty years after their breakthrough, The Temper Trap continue to evolve while staying true to their emotional core. With new music, collaborations, and now a national headline tour all in 2026, these unmissable live shows represent both a reinvention and a reaffirmation of what has made their music resonate: a powerful blend of personal vulnerability and communal, uplifting sound.
THE TEMPER TRAP
AUSTRALIAN TOUR
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2026
Presented by MG Live and Frontier Touring
FRONTIER MEMBER PRESALE
via frontiertouring.com/thetempertrap
Runs 24 hours from: Thursday 16 April (10am local)
or until presale allocation exhausted
TICKETS ON SALE
Begins: Friday 17 April (11am local time)
Friday 11 September
Forum Melbourne | Melbourne, VIC
18+
ticketek.com.au
*Saturday 12 September
Night At The Parkland | Brisbane, QLD
Lic. All Ages
nightattheparkland.com.au
Wednesday 16 September
Hindley Street Music Hall | Adelaide, SA
18+
moshtix.com.au
*Friday 18 September
Night At The Barracks | Sydney, NSW
Lic. All Ages
nightatthebarracks.com.au
*Friday 9 October
ICF:Warehouse | Perth, WA
18+
icfpresents.com.au
*Not a MG Live/Frontier Touring show
Patrons are advised to purchase tickets only through authorised ticket sellers.
We cannot guarantee any ticket purchase made through any means other than the official ticketing agents listed on the Frontier website.
FOLLOW THE TEMPER TRAP:
Website | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Spotify | Apple Music
Lismore-based media puzzle share their latest album New Racehorse, a 12-track collection that is a surreal commentary on modern existence: technology, love, death, responsibility, and ego, out today via Impressed Records. LISTEN ON SPOTIFY + APPLE + MORE.
Marking their fourth album, New Racehorse signifies a rebirth for the band. Since first emerging in 2023, they quickly made name for themselves for their drum machine-riddled, scuzzy post-punk sound, with Pitchfork firmly praising their last project Intermission as “uncanny creativity that egg-punk weirdos love to tout, residing somewhere between Suicide’s dark melodies and Uranium Club’s remote eccentricities”. Now with New Racehorse, they have ushered in a new phase, with a focus on experimentation and building outwards from their trademark sonically distorted sound, bringing eccentric samples and dynamic pace.
In a succession of releases, the record brings together singles ‘Knowledge’ and ‘More Horse, Less Code’, and welcomes ten new tracks, all written and recorded independently over the past year in a place of creative growth with emphasis on collaboration – “Instinct over Algorithm. Feeling over System. Body over Machine. Equine Finality.”
Drawing the album’s title from the track ‘Equine End of Life’ with the lyric “Drug me up, and put me down. There’s a New Racehorse in town” representing the death of the old media puzzle, lead vocalist and guitarist Tom Peters paints the picture of the record’s production process – one that steps back, takes the opportunity to experiment and makes an intentional shift.
Across the album, we hear moments like ‘New Pet’, ‘Out Of the Rain’, ‘I Don’t Care’, ‘Tea Time’ capture a sense of disorientation and hypnosis where larger forces dominate, before moving motions in the second half of the record, with tracks including ‘See You There’, ‘My Age, In Minutes And Seconds’, ‘Don’t Know You’, ‘Equine End Of Life’, ‘Robotic Love’ and ‘Outro’ offering up a reflective palette cleanser.
New Racehorse is an album grounded in reinvention and driven by curiosity. Taking their name from a 2002 Melbourne Cup-winning Irish racehorse, media puzzle is a Lismore-based band fronted by Tom Peter (lead vocals/guitar) with support from Kellie Eden (synth/trumpet), Eden Yeigh (guitar), Oliver Clarke (drums) and Solomon Jones (bass), who after a year of recording and touring with showcases at SXSW Sydney to stages with Ty Segall, Regurgitator and more, have stepped fully into their sound.
Focused and refined, New Racehorse is a bold departure from media puzzle‘s previous catalogue, once a model of fuzzy scuzz-pop, to now an otherworldly post-punk entity.
New Racehorse is out now via Impressed Records, buy/stream here.
TRACKLIST
Knowledge
New Pet
Out Of The Rain
I Don’t Care!
More Horse, Less Code
Tea Time
My Age, In Minutes And Seconds
Don’t Know You
See You There
Equine End of Life
Dead Dog!
Outro
TOUR DATES
Fri 24 Apr – The Tivoli – Meanjin/Brisbane*
Sat 24 Apr – Princess Theatre – Meanjin/Brisbane*
Fri May 1 – Liberty Hall – Gadigal/Sydney*
Sat May 2 – Keystone 1889 – Wiradjuri/Bathurst*
*supporting Regurgitator
Stay connected with media puzzle:
23 Profile | Instagram | YouTube | Bandcamp
Photo credit: Sophie Metcalfe
Developing a strong connection through a shared love of music’s kinetic elements, Newcastle collective SF WRENS have become a staple of their local scene in recent years.
Their evolution over years spent fusing a diverse range of influences across realms of hip hop, funk and jazz, while injecting a signature attitude into the music that captivates, has brought SF WRENS a strong following. And with their return for 2026, the group is excited to share their latest track, ‘THE FINISH LINE’ .
The new single from SF WRENS continues to build on the sonic foundations expertly laid by the band; marked by high energy, confident melodies and riffs that buoy a natural confidence in performance. The band themselves have admitted that it is hard to pin their own sound down, yet the essence of SF WRENS – heard on this track – is tethered to a central dedication to connection.
“The themes in our music aim to bring people into the present moment. To realise life is absurd, dark and difficult, but also beautiful and fun. Musically we draw from so many styles and influences, our biggest issue is actually that no one can pin down what our sound is. We used to find that a problem, but are beginning to realise that this is one of our strengths.”
“Our process changes from song to song, generally driven from lyrical ideas brought to the band by Duncan Woods, then sculpted in the rehearsal studio and taken to the stage when it’s very undercooked. It’s there that the musical ideas take their final shape which is always terrifying but pretty exciting. In the case of ‘The Finish Line’, Duncan freestyled the verses for nearly a year before they were set in stone, musical interludes came and went until we settled on the final arrangement we recorded.
The band is dynamic live, we leave space for improv and moods to take shape in the music, when something is hot, we generally all recognise that and that’s how our songs exit the kiln.” SF WRENS
As SF WRENS has continued to grow and expand as a group in recent years, so too has their profile. Locking in lauded performances at events including The Gum Ball and Blues & Brews Festival Hobart, as well as supporting artists such as Kim Churchill and Skunkhour, the group has drawn a diverse demographic of music lovers who have fallen under their spell.
To celebrate the release of ‘THE FINISH LINE’, SF WRENS will be performing a special hometown show in Newcastle in May.
SF WRENS ‘THE FINISH LINE’ LAUNCH SHOW
Friday 8 May The Oak TIGHES HILL
Supported by Lonely Mountain Garden Party
FREE SHOW
SF WRENS: Facebook | TikTok | Instagram | YouTube | Triple J Unearthed
Embracing a vibrant new chapter of music, legendary NZ producer and artist SOLA ROSA presents his highly anticipated new project, IN THE MIDS. Created meticulously between Melbourne and Auckland, the album features some of SOLA ROSA’s most striking material yet, redefining his artistry and demonstrating new sonic potential still to be explored.
Featuring singles ‘Jupiter (ft. Iva Lamkum)’, ‘Losing Time (ft. Muroki)’ and the dynamic ‘Like A Light In The Dark (ft. BRŪDE)’, the record is a love letter to the mix of genres that has become the blueprint for his signature style of production and arrangement.
Upon a foundation of electronic patterns exists delicate shades of R&B, insatiable funk, compelling rhythms and attitude that is bolstered by the presence of a masterfully-curated cast of guest vocalists.
In addition to Iva Lamkum, Muroki and BRŪDE, the listener is able to lose themselves in different moments of IN THE MIDS where artists including Akosia (‘No Time For Love’), Blush’ko (‘We Try and We Lose’), Wallace (‘How Do You’) and Wilson Blackley (‘Dangerous’) take centrestage.
“This album began like all my others — I’d make a bunch of beats and see what stuck — but at first, I had no clear vision. I was still thinking in terms of a live band setup, and everything felt a bit rigid, too many rules. Then, during one of the final lockdowns in NZ, I watched a short video of renowned producer Decap saying, “just try and make a beat a day without judgement.” I gave it a go, and it was liberating — it brought real joy back into making music. Suddenly, it was okay to explore ideas that in the past might have felt outside my wheelhouse. After a few days, the music started pouring out in unexpected and fascinating directions. That’s how most of this album came together.
Once that approach became my norm, I had a much clearer sense of the sound I wanted — more dancefloor-friendly, heavy grooves, layered synths and arpeggiated textures, programmed beats, and strong vocal contributions. There’s still a signature Sola Rosa touch in there, with a mix of tempos, subtle and punchy, but ultimately this became an album focused on my production style rather than a live-band framework. Influences from the dance music I’d been DJing and listening to heavily at the time naturally crept in, shaping the direction of the beats and the overall energy. While some key players still feature, this is very much me as a producer exploring new terrain.” SOLA ROSA
Across SOLA ROSA’s lauded career, the producer has cultivated a global fanbase courtesy of impressive releases and appearances on stages throughout North America, the UK and Europe.
He has performed at festivals including Secret Garden Party (UK), WOMAD (NZ), Kendall Calling (UK), Green Man (UK) and Shambala (UK); while previous collaborations with artists including TALL BLACK GUY, DJ VADIM and HERMITUDE have further established SOLA ROSA as one of the best to come out of Aotearoa, with over 65 million streams to his name.
PRAISE
“Andrew Spraggon reaches for the big time”
MOJO (‘Chasing The Sun’, 2020) ★★★★
“..blooms with sensuality and sass”
ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE (‘Low & behold, High & Beyond’, 2012)
“Low And Behold is fresh and funky”
NZ HERALD (‘Low & behold, High & Beyond’, 2012) ★★★★
“Melodic Soul Poetry”
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD (‘Get It Together’, 2010) ★★★★
With IN THE MIDS out now, SOLA ROSA will be touring the record throughout Aotearoa this coming May & June.
SOLA ROSA ‘IN THE MIDS’ AOTEAROA TOUR DATES
Tickets via solarosa.com
Friday 22 May Double Whammy TĀMAKI MAKAURAU / AUCKLAND
Saturday 23 May Puketapu Community Hall HERETAUNGA / HAWKES BAY
Friday 29 May DeVille WHAKATŪ / NELSON
Saturday 30 May Hide ŌTAUTAHI / CHRISTCHURCH
Friday 5 June The Mayfair NGĀMOTU / NEW PLYMOUTH
Saturday 6 June San Fran PŌNEKE / WELLINGTON
Quiet as a Mouse returns with the premiere of two new tracks, ‘Cocaine Soul’ and ‘From…To…’, released via YouTube on Friday 24 April. The songs offer a compelling first glimpse into the project’s upcoming second album, ‘Nostalgia is fine…but…’, due for digital release on Friday 29 May.
‘Cocaine Soul’ arrives as a frenetic, genre-blurring rocker—pulling from ’60s and ’70s blues while colliding with the raw edge of grunge and punk. It’s driven by some of Alex Moran’s most vivid lyricism to date, with each verse unfolding like its own story, before opening into a bold, anthemic chorus that feels built for volume and repetition.
In contrast, ‘From…To…’ reveals the other end of the spectrum. Stripped back and emotionally direct, it leans into vulnerability—capturing the quiet aftermath of lost love with a sense of honesty and restraint. Where ‘Cocaine Soul’ pushes outward, ‘From…To…’ turns inward, offering a more intimate and reflective moment.
Together, the two tracks highlight the range at the core of Quiet as a Mouse—balancing intensity with tenderness, and setting the tone for what’s to come on ‘Nostalgia is fine…but…’.
The Colours of Darkness feels like a record that was made as a full journey rather than just a collection of songs. When did you realise this album was going to become a concept rather than just individual tracks?
Owain – We’ve always been drawn to concept albums, so it’s no surprise to me that our debut album ended up being one. Jesse chose the tracks for this album, and as he was choosing them, he noticed there were common themes or musical threads connecting them. It’s a loose concept compared to some of the classic concept albums we love, but it’s a strong thing to have binding the album together.
Jesse – I knew it was going to be heavily conceptual from the start, because there were personal experiences giving us momentum and leading to us reconvening the band and working on a particular set of songs. The more we did that work, the clearer and more articulated the concept became: living with ill mental health and other similar pressures in the modern world.
The album explores isolation, relationships, and identity. Were those themes something you set out to write about, or did they slowly reveal themselves as the songs came together?
Jesse – Those are perennially favourite topics for me to write about! I wrote most of the album’s lyrics, but I did not sit down to specifically write about these themes; they came out simply as a reflection of how I was feeling. When it became apparent there was an overarching concept tying everything together, it became clear what songs would fit best—and they were the ones about isolation, relationships, and identity.
Owain – For the songs I contributed lyrics to, I can say that I didn’t set out to write about anything in particular. I tend to write the music and melodies first. This then leads to lyrics coming out as I sing through the song. The subject matter reveals itself as I’m singing.
There’s a real sense of space and movement across the record, especially with the longer arrangements and improvisation. How much of your sound comes from playing together in a room versus building songs in the studio?
Owain – It was actually a pretty even mix for this collection of songs. Jesse and I wrote the songs, and quite often we have basic guitar ideas worked out before taking them to the band. Once we start jamming them together, though, things always move around.
Before we started recording, we went away as a band, took our gear up to a holiday house, and spent the weekend working on the songs that would become the album. That weekend was massive for the core drum, bass, and guitar layers of the album. Even though we have many other instruments on the album, I still see these instruments as our core sound.
Once we were in the studio, that’s when we were able to start layering everything else—pianos, synths, extra vocals and guitars, strings, and even some amazing sax parts. It was these sounds that we needed the studio environment for to help us find and then build everything up.
You draw from progressive rock, folk, blues, jazz, psychedelia, and post-punk, but the album still feels cohesive. How do you balance so many influences without losing your identity as a band?
Owain – I think the main reason is that it’s still just us playing it. Yes, we are influenced by all of those genres, and yes, that can be heard throughout the album, but it’s still just us. We’re not trying to be anyone else. I still just hear us when I listen to the songs. We’ve also been writing songs for quite a while now, so that experience is also helping us keep it cohesive.
Jesse – I’d have to pretty much agree with Owain. We have an eclectic set of influences: we love many different eras of rock music; we recorded with a jazz-trained rhythm section; the two singers love two different eras of folk/singer-songwriters. There’s a bit of everything in our influences, but we just try to write and perform without any of that in mind and aim to just be ourselves, playing music that is true to ourselves. Whatever influences or genres shine through from that are just part of who we are from what we’ve absorbed.
There’s a lot of darkness in the themes, but also resolution and light. Was making this album emotionally heavy, or did it feel more like a release?
Jesse – It was a slow-moving release. Life before the album was emotionally heavy, and making the album was part of a process of moving through that. Now it’s all out there for the world to feel it as they see fit.
Owain – I can’t speak for all of the songs, as Jesse wrote most of the lyrics for the album, but for the tracks that I did contribute lyrics to, I definitely found it to be a release. Music has always been a release for me. If there’s anything going wrong or something stressful, playing and writing just helps deal with those feelings and gives them a place to go.
Working with Phan Sjarif and Adrian Breakspear must have shaped the record in some way. What did they bring to the album that pushed the songs further than you expected?
Owain – Phan was amazing during the recording of the album and the mixing of it. He really helped us get the best drum sound and performances during the initial recording sessions at The Parliament Studios. He also has some beautiful pianos and other keyboards that we were able to start laying down the keyboard sounds that would end up playing such a big part on the album. Most of the guitar, bass, and vocals were tracked at my home studio, and he gave us some excellent ideas that helped us through the recording of those parts.
During the mixing of the album, Phan made a huge difference. It’s crazy how much better the tracks sound after he does his thing. We thought what we had recorded already sounded good, but once he was finished with them… geeez… amazing.
We asked Adrian to mix the first single (‘Upper Hand’) from the album. He was excellent to work with but wasn’t actually there for any of the tracking. He really tightened what we’d recorded and polished it up. We’re still really happy that we asked him to work on that first song for us.
There’s a wide range of instrumentation across the album beyond guitars. Did those parts come naturally as the songs developed, or were you deliberately trying to expand the sound palette?
Owain – I think it was quite a natural process overall. We’ve always liked piano/keys/synths in songs, so they were a natural extension of our core sound and always seemed right to have as we were arranging the songs. The biggest surprise for me was when Jesse thought of getting sax in for a couple of tracks. An excellent idea from Jesse, and Maddy Mallis did an amazing job in the studio.
When people listen to The Colours of Darkness for the first time, what do you hope they take away from it—a feeling, a story, or just the experience of the music itself?
Owain – I hope they take whatever they need from it. It’s a great experience to listen to an album from start to finish, and I hope people enjoy listening to our album that way. I’m definitely an album listener rather than an individual song/playlist maker. We cover quite a lot of ground on the album, so there’s a lot on there to appeal to people who are willing to listen.
There are some pretty amazing lyrics on here (thanks, Jesse), which could definitely help people connect. Some topics that many other people have gone through, or are going through—these songs could help them in whichever way they need. There’s also just some great songwriting on there, so hopefully we talk to some music nerds too. I know my inner music nerd likes a lot of the little things we’ve managed to get onto the album.
Finishing a debut album is a big moment for any band. Did completing this record feel like the end of a chapter or the beginning of something new for July Morning?
Owain – When we finished recording the album, it definitely felt like the end of a chapter for me. It was almost a year of our lives. But in saying that, as it was the end of one chapter, it now definitely feels like we’re entering new territory. The gigs have started; at the time I’m writing this answer, the album is due out in five days. We’ve got plans to gig more, and we’re already talking about what the next album/recordings could be. Finishing the album has now started something new—so I guess I’ll say it felt like both, if I’m allowed to do that.
Jesse – We’ve put so much work into the release that, by default, it feels like the end of a book for me. It has raised the question, though, of “what next?” The work of getting this record out to everyone begins now. The work of building on our current momentum for another set of songs begins now. So as we move past the initial release, it’s going to increasingly feel like the opening chapter of a new novel.
If this album captures a particular moment in time for the band, how would you describe where July Morning is right now creatively and personally?
Owain – We’re trying to get ourselves into the best live shape we can for our upcoming gigs while also starting to think about new material. There are a lot of new songs we haven’t started working on yet, and I’m very excited to get stuck into them and see what happens.
On a personal level, life just keeps on doing its thing. Family life and running my guitar tuition business are pretty much what’s on the cards for me personally—and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
The Colours of Darkness Album Listening Party
Saturday 18th April – Sneaky Possum – Sydney, NSW
Tickets | Event
Legendary Aussie rockers Spiderbait today announce they will return to stages around the country this July, to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of their iconic 1996 album Ivy & the big apples.
Kicking off on Saturday 4 July at Brisbane’s The Tivoli, the band will head through Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney delivering their epic live show to fans nationwide. Iconic special guests Custard, Magic Dirt, The Meanies and Tumbleweed will join the party on select dates, as emerging Melbourne rockers The Gnomes warm audiences at all shows.
Frontier members can access presale tickets from 12 noon (local time) on Thursday 16 April, before tickets go on sale at 1pm (local time) on Friday 17 April.
For tickets and further information, head to frontiertouring.com/spiderbait
Widely regarded as a defining moment in Australian alternative rock, Spiderbait’s third studio album, Ivy & the big apples, marked a major breakthrough for the band, showcasing a bold shift toward a more polished yet still energetic sound. The record debuted in the ARIA Top 3, went Double Platinum, and stayed in the Top 50 for nearly a year — a testament to its enduring impact and the strength of singles like ‘Calypso’ and ‘Hot Water & Milk’.
Featuring standout track ‘Buy Me A Pony’, which became the first Australian song to take the crown in triple j’s prestigious Hottest 100, the record captured the raw, youthful spirit of the time while pushing the boundaries of the local music scene. A fearless mix of punk, pop and alternative rock, the album cemented Spiderbait as one of Australia’s most important bands of the 90’s.
Out on July 3, Ivy & the big apples 30th Anniversary Edition LP celebrates this cultural touchstone. Reissued on vinyl to mark the moment, this is an essential piece of Australian music history, ready to be rediscovered. Pre-order it now.
The story of Spiderbait is an unlikely but heart-warming one – three friends from a small Australian country town taking on the music scene, and emerging triumphantly thirty years later, friendship intact, and now one of the biggest and best rock bands on the national landscape
Australian rock ‘n roll royalty, and with a catalogue of music that’s distinctive and uncompromising, Spiderbait’s anticipated Ivy & the big apples 30th Anniversary Tour will see the band playing songs from their seminal album plus favourites from their extensive catalogue – Don’t miss out!
With special guests…
CUSTARD (Brisbane)
Local indie rockers Custard are known for their witty lyrics and distinctive, understated sound, led by singer-songwriter David McCormack. Emerging in the 1990s, they became a cult favourite for their clever, often humorous take on everyday life.
MAGIC DIRT (Melbourne)
Multi-ARIA Award nominated Magic Dirt are renowned for their gritty guitar sound and the distinctive vocals of frontwoman Adalita. They gained a strong following for their raw, emotive style and remain an influential presence in Australia’s rock scene.
THE MEANIES (Perth + Adelaide)
Seminal Melbourne punk rockers, The Meanies are renowned for their high-energy performances and irreverent style. Since the late 1980s, they have influenced the Australian punk scene with their frantic power-pop riffs, short sharp songs, raw sound and confrontational stage presence.
TUMBLEWEED (Sydney)
Australia’s homegrown stoner rock heavyweights. Tumbleweed have built a reputation on hypnotic riffs, loose-limbed swagger, and a live show that feels like it might levitate at any moment. Riding the 90s on a wave of fuzz, feedback and sun-bleached psychedelia, they weren’t just part of the scene, they helped define it.
THE GNOMES (All shows)
Hailing from Melbourne, The Gnomes deliver a feral, hook-heavy take on ‘60s beat, garage and power pop. With a cult following, they’ve built a reputation for chaotic live shows and a distinctly DIY approach to music.
Spiderbait’s Ivy & the big apples 30th Anniversary Edition LP is out July 3 – Pre-order it HERE
SPIDERBAIT
IVY & THE BIG APPLES 30TH ANNIVERSARY AUSTRALIAN TOUR
JULY 2026
WITH SPECIAL GUESTS CUSTARD, MAGIC DIRT, THE MEANIES, TUMBLEWEED (SELECT SHOWS ONLY) + THE GNOMES (PLAYING ALL SHOWS)
Presented by Frontier Touring
FRONTIER MEMBER PRESALE
via frontiertouring.com/spiderbait
Runs 24 hours from: Thursday 16 April (12 noon local)
or until presale allocation exhausted
TICKETS ON SALE
Begins: Friday 17 April (1pm local)
Saturday 4 July
With special guests Custard + The Gnomes
The Tivoli | Brisbane QLD (18+)
ticketmaster.com.au
With special guests The Meanies + The Gnomes
The Ice Cream Factory | Perth WA (18+)
eventbrite.com.au
FRIDAY 24 JULY
With special guests Magic Dirt + The Gnomes
Forum | Melbourne VIC (18+)
ticketek.com.au
SATURDAY 25 JULY
With special guests The Meanies + The Gnomes
Hindley Street Music Hall | Adelaide SA (Lic. All Ages)
moshtix.com.au
FRIDAY 31 JULY
With special guests Tumbleweed + The Gnomes
Enmore Theatre | Sydney NSW (Lic. All Ages)
ticketek.com.au
new album Two Wrongs Don’t Make A Right
digital album 1st May
vinyl 29th May
UK and European tour May/June
“Expect lightning-fast tempos, razor-sharp riffs, pulsating drums, and captivating melodies.” Under The Radar
“Real Farmer have paved the way for what modern punk can be.” Indie Is Not A Genre
“A sonic punch to the solar plexus.” God Is In The TV
Groningen-based punk four-piece Real Farmer are closing in on the release of their second album with new single I.D.K.T.S (I Don’t Know This Song) out now through Strap Originals (following BBC 6 Music Huw Stephens premiere). You can watch the video here and pre-order the album here.
For the experimental DIY video, the band teamed up with director Héctor Garcia Martin, who set out to reflect the deeply psychological nature of the song with his dynamic camera work. “What was most enjoyable for me about this shoot was that I felt among friends. It was just me and the three people in the video so I was able to be more immersive and empathetic in portraying the human story,” says Héctor.
I.D.K.T.S (I Don’t Know This Song) is the fifth track to be released as a single from their second album Two Wrongs Don’t Make A Right, which is out digitally 1st May and on vinyl 29th May. It follows Missing Link (the thrashy call to arms), Run By Animals (a moving dream pop hymn), Heart Out (60s beat meets proto punk) and Sob Story (a pithy rabble rouser).
Real Farmer recorded the new album with audio engineer Niek van den Driesschen (Iguana Death Cult, Rats on Rafts) at Far Out Sound Studios in Rotterdam’s Coolhaven district. It was mastered by Mikey Young (Amyl and the Sniffers, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard).
Radio spins for the singles have come in from BBC 6 Music’s Huw Stephens, Craig Charles, Steve Lamacq and Apple Music 1’s Matt Wilkinson. And So Young, God Is In The TV, Indie Is Not A Genre and Pan m 360 have all lent their support in the press.
With Peter Doherty, Protomartyr, Babyshambles, Pitchfork Paris and Primavera supports or festivals in the bag over the past 12 months, Real Farmer are set for a 23-date tour of Europe and then the UK. The dates are as follows:
May
07 – Köln, Bumann & SOHN
08 – Horst, Nikspack Festival
09 – Amsterdam, OCCII
11 – Berlin, Schokoladen
12 – Hamburg, MS Stubnitz
14 – Basel, Hirscheneck
15 – Bern, ISC
20 – Marseille, L’intermédiaire
22 – Biel/Bienne, Chrüsimüsi
29 – Utrecht, ACU
30 – Eindhoven, Skinfest
June
01 – Paris, Verte est la nuit
02 – Brighton, Prince Albert
03 – London, New River Studios
04 – Cardiff, Clwb Ifor Bach
05 – Manchester, YES (basement)
06 – Newcastle, Marrapalooza
07 – Glasgow, The Hug & Pint
09 – Sheffield, Delicious Clam
10 – Oxford, Little Bully
11 – Nottingham, JT Soar
12 – Norwich, Norwich Arts Centre
13 – Southampton, Heartbreakers Bar
Real Farmer hail from the northern Dutch provinces of Friesland and Groningen, the birthplaces over the last sixty years or so of a lot of smart, independent and rough-edged rock music. Real Farmer have always channelled this singular, often rebellious history. Just listen to their explosive early releases like their dark and personal debut album (Compare What’s There [2024]), or hear tell of the turbocharged shows in any dive that would take them. Their name, on the cover of Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right, uses the Anarchist symbol.
“I grew up in a place where I had to bite back a lot, so I’ve become really good saying ‘fuck you!’ says frontman Jeroen Klootsema. “But I think when it comes to the bigger collective picture, it takes more than just one person kicking at things. It also requires knowing what you’re doing it for. I’m constantly reframing that on this album: what do I believe? What is anarchy to me? What is a community to me? In these songs, we’re collectively trying to re-examine all those things as a band.”
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Australian DJ and production powerhouse Odd Mob has just announced his highly anticipated Australian headline tour for 2026. Presented by Untitled Group, the five-date run will hit Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Sydney this September/October.
2025 was a massive year for the DJ/producer, with a run of shows as main support on John Summit’s sold-out national tour and a standout performance at Coachella as well as his own sold out headline shows across the country. 2026 is set to be even bigger, with new releases on the way and an extensive touring schedule across Australia, alongside international dates in the U.S., Asia, the UK and Europe, including a main stage appearance at Tomorrowland in Belgium.
Since breaking through with 2014’s Is It A Banger which charted in the triple j’s Hottest 100, Odd Mob has released a string of hits like LEFT TO RIGHT, Get Busy which surpassed 120 million streams and topped the ARIA and UK Upfront Club charts whilst landing the Aussie producer an ARIA Gold Record for his collaboration with Sean Paul. He continued this momentum with Won’t Be Possible, while collaborating with LA producer OMNOM on tracks such as Losing Control, System, All Day, All Night, as well as their newest collaboration Coming Up (It’s Dare), a fully cleared remake of Gorillaz’s ‘Dare’, pushing him past 450+ million streams across platforms.
In 2025, Odd Mob reached yet another career milestone, selling out The Shrine in Los Angeles following a major collaboration with Tiësto. The single quickly became the #1 most-played dance record on US radio and amassed over 40 million streams within months. His touring profile has continued to rise, with standout performances at Beyond The Valley’s Dance Dome in 2024, as well as Tomorrowland, EDC Las Vegas, Shambhala Music Festival, Beyond Wonderland, and multiple Elrow events worldwide. He has also supported Swedish House Mafia in Ibiza and secured a Las Vegas residency at Wynn for the second consecutive year in 2026.
With a unique blend of house, techno and club chaos, Odd Mob’s live sets have made him a standout on festival and club stages worldwide.
Presale Registration HERE
Presale tickets on sale – Tuesday 21 April 10am local time
General tickets on sale – Wednesday 22 April 10am local time
“Everything You Need” introduces The Prince Of Birchy Head, the upcoming third album from Halifax songwriter Alexander Gallant, with a clear and grounded sense of purpose. The song focuses on the idea of choosing simplicity, allowing yourself to feel good without questioning it too much, and recognizing that the things we already have can be enough. There is a quiet confidence running through it, not overly sentimental, but steady and direct. Gallant leans into the idea that love does not need to be complicated to be meaningful, and that there is value in slowing down and paying attention to what is right in front of you.
Musically, the track keeps things restrained and intentional. The acoustic guitar work is detailed but never showy, with subtle shifts in tuning that give the song a distinct texture. The arrangement leaves space for the song to breathe, letting small moments land without being crowded. There is a reflective tone throughout, capturing that in between place where something new is beginning but not yet fully defined. It feels measured rather than uncertain, with a sense that even unfamiliar ground can be approached with some level of trust.
Gallant has built a strong reputation in Halifax and across the Atlantic region for his songwriting, which combines precise guitar work with lyrics that are observant and often quietly humorous. His songs tend to focus on everyday experiences, drawing meaning from details that might otherwise go unnoticed. That approach continues on The Prince Of Birchy Head, where he shifts further toward a sound and style that prioritizes closeness and clarity over scale.
The album was recorded to tape, which adds to its direct and unpolished feel. Instead of aiming for perfection, the recordings keep their natural edges, making the songs feel immediate and present. The result is an album that sounds personal without being overly intimate, maintaining a balance between distance and connection. It gives the impression of hearing the songs as they were played, rather than heavily reworked versions of them.
As a first look at the record, “Everything You Need” suggests that Gallant is continuing to refine his strengths rather than changing direction. The songwriting is focused, the performances are controlled, and the overall tone is consistent. He stays within his lane but pushes further into it, trusting that the material holds up without needing extra layers. It is a straightforward and effective approach that reinforces what he does well, writing songs that are thoughtful, restrained, and grounded in real experience.
We’re premiering ‘Cocaine Soul’ and ‘From…To…’ — they feel like very different sides of your songwriting. Was that intentional, or just how the songs came out?
Writing them wasn’t intentional — I don’t really think or plan before writing (I edit as I go when needed), so it’s basically just how they came out. They’re two of my favourite songs from the new album, and I liked the idea of releasing them together as they’re so different from each other. I’ve always liked that I’m quite diverse with the types of songs I write (within the indie rock genre), and these two hopefully showcase two of my main styles, moods, and emotions in songwriting.
‘From…To…’ feels really honest and reflective. Do songs like that usually come from a specific moment, or are they built from a lot of different experiences over time?
I think generally my songs come from a build-up of different moments, feelings, and experiences. This is a heartbreak song (with moments of hope), and I tried to be as honest and as unfiltered as I could, whilst adding some bits of fiction.
‘Cocaine Soul’ has a lot of energy and feels very story-driven. When you write songs like that, do you start with the story or the music first?
I liked the idea of the verses being mini stories, but held together with a big chorus, which is hopefully anthemic and catchy. I’ve always kept notepads and notes in my phone with lyric ideas, words, sentences, phrases, and I used a word, phrase, or name to start me off. I remember the verses being a trail of thoughts that just came out. I had the guitar chords and chorus phrase for a while — “A cocaine soul will steal your rock and roll.” Two of my favourite songwriters, Bob Dylan and Bright Eyes, both have an amazing ability to spew out incredible verse lyrics (especially in the early parts of their career). They were an influence on me, amongst some other artists.
Do you remember where you were or what was happening in your life when you wrote these two songs?
I was living in Edinburgh in my early twenties when I wrote ‘Cocaine Soul’ — it’s one of my earliest/oldest songs. I wrote ‘From…To…’ a few years ago, so I’m a little older now and I’ve been living in Brisbane since 2019.
You’ve lived in a lot of different places over the years. Do you think moving around so much has shaped the way you write or the way you see things?
Yeah, I think it has, even subconsciously. The diversity of styles has definitely been encouraged by moving, experiencing different places and situations, and meeting lots of different people. One of my previous songs, ‘Home is the Hardest Place to Find’, is partly about this feeling — not really having a fixed home or that strong sense of home. A more positive way to look at it is that a few different places feel like home, but no one place feels like home in a strong, permanent way.
When you listen back to your earlier releases now, do you feel like you’ve changed a lot as a songwriter, or does it still feel like the same person writing the songs?
I feel partly the same and partly like I’ve changed and matured. The punk aggression, attitude, and visceral rawness has mellowed as I’ve got older, which is totally normal. I feel like I’ve improved at finding more interesting musical backdrops and sections in my songs. I do think the rawness and punk edge is still there, but it’s more subtle now and comes out in different ways.
Do you write pretty regularly, or do songs tend to come in bursts when you’re feeling inspired?
As I’ve gotten older, it’s more when I have the time — so more in bursts when I want to start a new project. When I was younger I was writing pretty regularly. That feels really normal, as we get older and naturally busier in life.
When you were putting the album together, did you have a clear idea of what you wanted it to be, or did the direction reveal itself over time?
The direction revealed itself over time. Like my songwriting, I don’t really like to plan what a song or album is going to be about — I let my gut naturally lead me. I’m pretty happy to be patient with it all.
What do you hope people feel when they hear ‘Cocaine Soul’ and ‘From…To…’ for the first time?
I just hope they enjoy one or both of the songs, and if they do, they’ll listen to the new album when it comes out on 29 May and spend time with my back catalogue. Like we were saying earlier, if you enjoy raw, visceral punk rock and roll you should enjoy ‘Cocaine Soul’, and if you like gentle, introspective, honest and heartfelt songs you should enjoy ‘From…To…’.
Looking at the album as a whole, what do you think this record says about where you are in your life right now?
I think it shows I still have that early-20s version of myself in me, and that I’m still improving and exploring ways to get better as a songwriter — to convey feelings and experiences that we’ve all had or can relate to in interesting and different ways. I’m generally happy and settled in Brisbane, so hopefully it has a solid foundation, like I’ve found in my life here.
“Don’t Follow Me (Be My Lover)” by DJ Sammy x Chris Diver is a euphoric dance banger that combines modern club sound with the irresistible hook of the classic “Be My Lover.” Internationally successful DJ and producer DJ Sammy joins forces with Ulm-based remixer Chris Diver to deliver driving beats, rich drops, and catchy melodies. The result is a radio-friendly track that is equally suited for festivals and clubs, packed with energy and strong dancefloor appeal.
DJ Sammy is one of the best-known DJs and producers in the world. With more than 20 million records sold and numerous awards, he has secured a permanent place in the electronic music scene. He achieved his breakthrough in 2001 with “Heaven,” a global hit that sold more than two million copies across Europe and Australia. The track reached No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 before topping the UK charts in 2002. His follow-up single “The Boys of Summer” also climbed to No. 2 in the UK charts. In addition to his chart success and numerous awards, DJ Sammy was also recognized for his outstanding DJ skills, earning positions in DJ Mag’s Top 100 rankings (2005: No. 92, 2006: No. 61).
Chris Diver, a remixer and producer based in Ulm with a passion for euphoric dance music, creates driving melodic tracks and high-energy club remixes. He has already produced official remixes for acts such as Cascada, Master Blaster, Manian, and R.I.O., and stands out through his instinct for catchy hooks, powerful beats, and radio-ready arrangements. His productions and DJ sets combine mainstream appeal with dancefloor intensity.
“Don’t Follow Me (Be My Lover)” by DJ Sammy x Chris Diver will be released on April 10, 2026, via the label MyClubroom.
DJ Sammy x Chris Diver
Don’t Follow Me (Be My Lover)
Label: MyClubroom
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https://www.instagram.com/djsammyofficial/
https://www.instagram.com/chrisdiverofficial/